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To Plant, or Not to Plant?: That is Question: The Assisted Migration of Torreya taxifolia

To Plant, or Not to Plant?: That is Question: The Assisted Migration of Torreya taxifolia . Eric Pender & Carmella Guiol. http:// eitantheactor.com/biopics/HamletSkull.jpg. Outline. Part II Advice for The U.S. Forest Service Critique of Assisted Migration Policy Climate

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To Plant, or Not to Plant?: That is Question: The Assisted Migration of Torreya taxifolia

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  1. To Plant, or Not to Plant?: That is Question: The Assisted Migration of Torreya taxifolia Eric Pender & Carmella Guiol http://eitantheactor.com/biopics/HamletSkull.jpg

  2. Outline Part II • Advice for The U.S. Forest Service • Critique of Assisted Migration • Policy • Climate • Ecology/Biology • Conclusion Part I Background of Torreya taxifolia Issue at hand Current events Arguments for assisted migration

  3. Background • Torreya taxifolia: • Endangered species of the genus Torreya, commonly referred to as the Stinking Cedar • Endemic species located in northern Florida, and southwestern Georgia

  4. Issue at hand The U.S. Forest Service is considering a proposal to begin planting Torreya seedlings on federal lands in North Carolina and Tennessee Should this proposal be realized?

  5. Current Events The Torreya Guardians have begun plantingTorreya taxifolia in forests of Georgia and North Carolina Why? In attempts to restore the population of this endangered species

  6. Arguments for Assisted Migration • Why is assisted migration a good idea for Torreya taxifolia (specifically): • Escape the tree fungus present in Florida • Expand the distribution of the tree North, as it is currently confined to Florida • The current threat of extinction due to global warming • Torreya taxifolia has low chance of becoming an invasive species

  7. Part II: Advice for The U.S. Forest Service • Avoid assisted migration! • Do not begin planting Torreya seedlings on federal lands in North Carolina and Tennessee

  8. Critique of Assisted Migration: Policy • Implementation • Lack of regulation • The need to develop a criteria to measure success of future migrations • No extensive control assurances or monitoring systems • Sets a risky precedent for other species possibly in need of assisted migration.

  9. Critique of Assisted Migration: Climate • Based on unproven assumption about the species range & climate change • How can one predict regional climate changes? • What if species still die out? • Other possible environmental limiting factors

  10. Critique of Assisted Migration: Ecology/Biology • Uncertain to the cause of species decline • Disease/global warming? • Unintentional Impacts on recipient ecosystem earthfirst.com

  11. Critique of Assisted Migration: Ecology/Biology • Extensive data is necessary (costly) • Possibility of becoming invasive boxcarnv.blm.gov boxcarmarketing.com

  12. Conclusion Are you willing to gamble the health of the ecosystems in North Carolina and Tennessee for the off chance that Torreya taxifolia species will recover? Assisted migration is not the answer! Alternative route The drivers of Torreya taxifolia extinction are speculative The potensial costs action > cost of inaction Risks for recipient ecosystem are too great

  13. Thank You

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